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Author: cokiea

Walker, photographed by George Bernard Shaw.Photo courtesy of the Emery Walker TrustMany people have heard of William Morris. Those with an interest in fine printing or fine binding will know the names of St. John Hornby and T. J. Cobden-Sanderson. Few, however, remember the man who had more influence on the design of modern books than any of these great craftsmen: Sir Emery Walker (1851–1933) … …

Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend (Kelmscott Press, 1892)The Industrial Revolution had a profound effect on the world of books: mechanization made it possible to produce thousands of copies of a work quickly and inexpensively. The upside of mass production was the increased availability and affordability of books; the downside was shoddy materials and workmanship … …

A chic ensemble from Dalvimart’s Costume of Turkey As we’ve seen in recent Booktryst posts on stately homes and the “lower orders,” color plate books were very much the “in” thing in the early 1800s. A favorite genre was the Costume Book, and in honor of the beginning of Red Carpet season at last Sunday’s Emmy Awards, this week Booktryst asks, “Who What the HECK are you wearing?”Between 1800 and 1818, London publishers William Miller, T … …

Fireworks at one of the Sun King’s parties at VersaillesLike many women–and some men–of a certain age, I set my alarm for 3:00 AM on July 29, 1981, to watch the televised wedding of Lady Diana Spencer to Charles, Prince of Wales. Had I slept through the alarm, however, I could have relished each moment of pageantry in any of the endless “special wedding edition” magazines or commemorative books that flooded the market … …

I’m going to begin by using three words I really hate having to utter: I. Was. Wrong.In the lively discussion that took place in the comments to Stephen Gertz’s provocative post on e-books vs. print books, I confessed that I would love to have a Kindle or other e-book reader for travel. My deepest, darkest fear is of being stuck in a hotel room or airport with nothing to read but my smaller-than-3 oz … …

Chatsworth House, seat of the Dukes of Devonshire. Image courtesy of WikiCommons.Who among us hasn’t at some point gazed wistfully at pictures of the beautiful homes of the rich and famous, fascinated by the trappings of enormous wealth? Whether your pleasure is Architectural Digest, House & Gar … …

A genuine Apollo and Pegasus Binding by Marcantonio GuilleryCan you imagine having every book in your library in matching bindings that were especially designed for you? No half-hearted half calf, either: full leather bindings with a signature design that instantly marks it as your property, even almost 500 years later … …

Belle Da Costa Greene, 1911.Image courtesy of the Morgan LibraryIn the 1890s, financier J. Pierpont Morgan began building a collection of art, rare books, manuscripts, and artifacts that would surpass anything previously known in the United States. In 1902, he commissioned Charles McKim, the nation’s most prominent architect, to build a library to house his treasures … …

Last week, we looked at bindings by women of the Arts & Crafts movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. This week, we look at the work of three women currently practicing the art. The binding above is by the British artist Denise Lubett. This cartographic design executed in tan and sea green morocco covers a copy of the Golden Cockerel Press’ The Pilgrim Fathers, the depiction of the coastline of Massachusetts subtly alluding to the book’s contents … …

Women have worked in book binderies for centuries–wives and daughters assisting husbands, fathers, and sons, and sometimes taking over the bindery when the patriarch died–but not until the Arts & Crafts movement of the late 19th century did women come into their own as independent bookbinders who signed their own work … …

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